Matthew 27:54
And the crowds who had come to the spectacle were returning, striking their breasts — freeing themselves, perhaps, from impiety against Christ by crying out against the crucifiers, even if not openly, because of the leaders’ unholiness. So great was the power of the one being crucified — this centurion afterward proving steadfast in the faith (Matthew 27:54). The Lord was speaking truly when he said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself.” (John 12:32) For look: lifted on the precious cross, he began to net many into knowledge of the truth. He drew the centurion, and he also drew some of the Jews, who were striking their breasts, pricked in mind and looking up toward the Lord with the eyes of understanding (Luke 23:48).
Greek
"Καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι" δὲ οἱ παραγενόμενοι εἰς "τὴν θεωρίαν τύπτοντες" αὐτῶν "τὰ στήθη, ὑπέστρεφον", τάχα που τῆς κατὰ Χριστοῦ δυσσεβείας ἀπαλλάττοντες ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοῦ τῶν σταυρωσάντων καταβοᾶν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐμφανῶς διὰ τὴν τῶν ἡγουμένων ἀνοσιότητα. τοσαύτη τοῦ σταυρουμένου ἡ δύναμις–τοῦ κεντουρίωνος τούτου ἀν δρισαμένου μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ πίστει. ἀληθὴς ἦν λέγων ὁ κύριος, "ὅταν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλ κύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν"· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν τῷ τιμίῳ σταυρῷ ὑψούμενος ἤρξατο τοῦ σαγηνεύειν πολλοὺς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας· εἵλκυσε γοῦν τὸν ἑκατόνταρχον, εἵλκυσε δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τινάς, οἳ καὶ "τὰ στήθη" ἔτυπτον κατανυττόμενοί που πάντως καὶ τοῖς τῆς διανοίας ὄμμασιν ἀναβλέποντες πρὸς κύριον.
About this text
Catena fragments on Matthew (CPG 5206). Contents follow Matthew chapter and verse. Edition fragment numbers stay in About this text and under each passage.
English follows the named copy-text (Aegean/khazarzar Migne PG 72 extract). Other prints were checked as noted; no silent merge of recensions.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Migne PG 72 Commentarii in Matthaeum (Aegean Digital Patrologia / khazarzar) (Greek · CPG 5206 catena fragments (290 parsed heads))
- Checked print matia.gr mirror of same Aegean extract (Greek · Byte-identical PDF; integrity check only)
- Checked print Internet Archive PG 72 volume OCR (bim … 1859_72) (Greek (OCR damaged) · Locus confirmation only; not used as reading text)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.